Phillies-Astros World Series Game 2: Start time, channel, how to watch and stream

After a thrilling World Series win in extra innings Friday night, the Phillies look to steal another game in Houston against the Astros in Game 2 at Minute Maid Park Saturday evening.

The Phillies won Game 1 against Astros 6-5 thanks to J. T. Realmuto’s solo homerun in the 10th inning, made possible by Nick Castellanos’ diving catch to send the game into extra innings. The Phillies became just the sixth team in the 118-year history of the World Series to overcome a five run lead (or greater) to win.

Friday’s night’s win also set a new Phillies franchise record for the largest comeback win in postseason history (5 runs). In the history of postseason play, teams that have gone up by five runs were 589-18 before Realmuto’s homer.

A win Saturday night would put the Phillies in a great position as the World Series heads back to Philadelphia for Game 3. Of the 88 teams that have taken a 2-0 lead in a best-of-seven postseason series, just 14 have gone on to lose. The last time that happened was in 2020, when the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Atlanta Braves after trailing both 2-0 and 3-1.

Here’s everything you need to know to watch Game 2 of the World Series between the Phillies and Astros:

Game 2 of the World Series between the Phillies and Astros is scheduled to begin at 8:03 p.m. Eastern on Fox. The Phillies currently lead the series 1-0.

Calling the game is a crew that has become familiar to Phillies fans — Joe Davis and Hall of Famer John Smoltz. Ken Rosenthal and Tom Verducci will be reporting from the field at Minute Maid Park in Houston.

Davis called his first World Series game Friday night, but he has a long way to catch the announcer he replaced, Joe Buck. During his more than two-decade run at Fox, Buck called 135 World Series games since the 1994 strike, according to Sports Media Watch’s Jon Lewis (Bob Costas called 14, and Al Michaels called three).

On the radio, Scott Franzke and Larry Andersen will call Game 2 on 94.1 WIP. Tom McCarthy, the television voice for the Phillies on NBC Sports Philadelphia, will once again join the radio broadcast in the fifth and sixth innings. Franzke had another great call last night on Realmuto’s game-winning homer.

Bill Kulik and Oscar Budejen will broadcast Phillies-Braves in Spanish on La Unika 1680 AM. Budejen is in his second year with the team, and he also works as the color analyst for the Eagles’ Spanish radio broadcasts.

“We have the best fans in the world in Philly,” Budejen told the Inquirer. “What the fans bring to the game, that’s the love I bring to our broadcast. In Spanish, you convey the passion of baseball to another level, and that’s what our fans bring to us.”

The game will also air on TV in Spanish on Fox Deportes, with Adrian Garcia Marquez and Edgar Gonzalez on the call.

Phillies-Astros will stream on the Fox Sports app, though it will only be available to those with a cable subscription.

The game will also stream on any so-called skinny bundle that carries Fox, including fuboTV, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, Sling TV, and DirecTV Stream. Most offer a free trial.

If you’re looking to stream the game for free and you live in or around Philadelphia, your best option is using a digital antenna, since all the games will air on broadcast television.

Phillies Ace Zack Wheeler (1-1, 1.78 ERA) will take the mound in Game 2 on an extra days rest, something he benefited from during the seasons. Wheeler had a 3.64 ERA in 10 starts this season when he pitched on four days’ rest, but in 11 starts with an additional day to rest, his ERA dropped to 2.57.

The Astros will counter with lefty Framber Valdez (1-0, 1.48 ERA), whose 25 consecutive quality starts set a new MLB record this season. The 28-year-older was 17-6 with a 2.82 ERA this season.

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